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Val and Michael Kimpton. Photo supplied: Airlie Beach Triathlon
Michael Kimpton and the Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival team are celebrating national recognition, with the event named a finalist for Under 500 Participants Event of the Year at the Aus Tri Awards for the 2025/26 season.
The Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival has become a staple on the Whitsundays calendar for locals and visitors, attracting 512 athletes this year.
In its 26th year, the festival welcomed a healthy mix of first-timers, returning competitors and professional athletes. Michael and Val Kimpton helped make the event accessible, with Mick even providing bikes for several competitors.
This recent honour comes as a mark of how far the competition has come since its inception.
“We are incredibly honoured to share that the Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival has been nominated as a finalist for the Aus Tri Awards – Under 500 Participants Event of the Year for the 2025/26 season,” Michael said.
“There was a time when this event was very close to collapsing, and what has been achieved since then has taken an enormous amount of hard work, commitment, belief and plenty of long days behind the scenes.
“A huge thank you to the incredible team who have poured so much into making the Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival what it is today — Kaitlyn, Cait, Stacey, Val and myself, along with our families, Peter and Jen who have supported us every step of the way.”
After finishing runner-up in 2025, the team hopes to go one better this year, with Michael thanking the sponsors, ambassador athletes and volunteers who help make the festival possible.
“We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, grateful to everyone who continues to support the event, and excited to see what 2027 brings,” Michael said.
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